


Tummy Troubles

by Mellowyellowdiamonds



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Unplanned Pregnancy, canon compliant angst by me of all people, post 708, reasonably happy ending though, starts out fairly chipper and then ends up full on angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 05:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16907163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mellowyellowdiamonds/pseuds/Mellowyellowdiamonds
Summary: Oliver feeds his infamous spicy chili to Felicity which leads to a surprise discovery about their already fraught relationship





	Tummy Troubles

**Author's Note:**

> So I am on this Arrow forum and we were discussing the comic pic SA posted of Oliver cooking chili.
> 
> I then got the idea that I wanted to write a cute, funny, fluffy fic about Felicity eating Oliver's spicy chili.
> 
> What I ended up with was an angst fest!
> 
> Canon compliant angst written by me peeps! Be very scared!!! It's me! I don't do canon compliant and I don't do angst! But here we are!

“This is so good. Sooooo good,” Felicity declares dreamily as she downs another spoonful of chili. Oliver notices she’s even tapered off on the corn bread he baked to go with the chili and was now happily eating spoonfuls of chili, correction his deathly spicy chili the same way he’d seen her eat pie. With ease and much gusto.

Oliver couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watches the joyful look on his wife’s face, catching a glimpse of the old Felicity, Felicity from a happier, simpler time, before he’d ruined her with his unilateral decision making tendencies and one decision in particular. He would always love Felicity, but he sometimes wondered if she could ever be happy again and for this very brief moment, this fiery kitchen concoction of his seemed to be doing a better job of bringing his wife some modicum of happiness than he was.

“Honey…are you sure…are you sure you’re not feeling the heat?” Oliver asks tentatively not wanting to disrupt her joy but also starting to feel slightly alarmed at the amount of chili Felicity had consumed without seemingly registering any pain from all the various blends of peppers he’d used in the mixture.

He’d known Felicity for a long time. Felicity could barely eat a Thai green curry or Yum Talay without huffing and puffing and downing several glasses of water. Surely his unilateral decision-making wasn’t responsible for his wife’s changed taste buds as well? Felicity had begun to open up a bit more of late, letting him in on the loneliness, isolation and abandonment that she faced while he was in prison but at no point did he recall any kind of attack that would result in zapped taste buds.

“No, it’s just got a nice tingle on the tongue. It’s perfect! So much milder than all that Thai take out we used to buy. This is good heat. The kind I enjoy besides the heat we generate in the bedroom,” Felicity waves him off airily before holding up her empty bowl, instructing him to serve her another ladle. Oliver grins at the second part of her comment but Felicity merely shrugs and gives him a little smirk.

“Felicity are you sure you can’t taste the spice? You keep saying it’s mild. I brought some into the precinct and had the entire precinct choking. Dinah coughed so much she threw up.”

He takes the bowl off Felicity and puts it down on the kitchen counter. She’d had four bowls already. Even if she couldn’t taste the spice, she was eating it straight and he was beginning to worry what it might do to her tummy.

“It’s beautifully seasoned and I love the textures in it but honestly Oliver it’s just got a nice kick.” Felicity eyes her bowl on the bench hungrily and studies him for a second before continuing, “Why do you keep insisting it’s fiery? Are you upset because you feel it could have used more spice?” 

“No. Anymore spice and this thing will set people on fire! You’ve had four bowls already. I really think you should stop honey.” 

“Well maybe you’re an old man now and can’t handle the heat anymore,” Felicity retorts cheekily before wrinkling her nose and adding, “Or maybe I’m getting old and losing my taste buds.”

“Hey I can always handle the heat no matter how old I am,” he says, striding over and scooping her in his arms for a kiss. She tasted like chili. Very very hot chili. This must be what spicy flavored Felicity tasted like. He smiles into the kiss as he entertains the thought of Felicity as food.

Felicity kisses him back enthusiastically but pulls away and promptly makes puppy eyes at him. “One more bowl,” she cajoles, stroking his chest in lazy circles as she looks up at him impishly. “One more bowl and then we can move onto another type of spice.” 

***

“I told you it was a bad idea to eat five bowls of chili,” Oliver scolds as a miserable Felicity lies on the couch with her head on his lap, looking utterly sorry for herself. “I told you it was too spicy for you to eat that much. People have died from eating too much hot food. You ate five bowls. Maybe we need to get your stomach pumped?”

They never did move onto another kind of spice. In fact the only spicy encounter to be had right now was the one from all the peppers, which now reared their ugly head to kick Felicity in the tummy. Oliver remembered the worry he’d felt in jail, the helplessness of not being able to be there to protect her. Now he was out and home she didn’t need or want his protection anymore and tonight he’d gone one step further and possibly poisoned his wife with his cooking.

“I am fine,” Felicity tries to brush him off, although he can see her wincing in pain. “It’s just a little bit of indigestion. I’m not going to emergency for over eating. What would Dr Schwartz think! My tummy is weaker than my taste buds. Stupid, weak tummy.” 

“Felicity…” he says, his voice trailing off. She most likely didn’t mean anything by it but he hated when she called herself weak, even if it was just her tummy. But this was his problem, his guilt and he best not try to make it Felicity’s problem. However Oliver couldn’t resist adding, “I don’t think you can criticize your tummy when you’ve tormented it with five bowls of chili. I can’t eat five bowls of chili. I don’t know how you could or how you’re keeping it down. Are you sure you don’t want to try and throw it up?” 

“I’m feeling slightly better,” Felicity gives him a small smile as she snuggles into his lap. “Stop lecturing. What’s done is done and I don’t regret any bite of it.” She has the gall to try and swivel her head at the fridge, giving it a longing look, “I don’t suppose you’ll let me have any…” 

“NO!” Oliver declares firmly. “This is your first and last adventure with my chili!”

“Are you sure it hasn’t done irrevocable damage to your digestive system?” Oliver asks one more time, knowing he should just be cuddling his poor, miserable wife with the sore tummy but he can’t stop himself from fretting out loud.

“Ssss okay,” Felicity murmurs sleepily, burying her face into his abs and trying to get comfortable. They were rather hard and not a good place to rest her head.

Oliver bends down to kiss her on the forehead before picking her up in his arms and carrying her into their bedroom.

*** 

“Are you sure you shouldn’t be going to the doctor,” Laurel frowns at Felicity looking perturbed that she was actually feeling concerned about the woman standing beside her. Actually she was very worried. Felicity had a bad gut, one that was making noises. Laurel didn’t want Felicity to have a bad gut. Laurel wanted Felicity to have a normal gut so they could all get on with their lives but here she was obsessing about Felicity’s gut. A year ago she had tried to sonic cry Felicity into oblivion and now she’s standing in the other woman’s house, trying to get her to go to the doctor. It was giving Laurel a headache.

“Who made your gut like this?” Laurel demands, suddenly feeling angry. The worry she felt for Felicity was unwelcome and it briefly crossed her mind she could sonic cry the bastard who was responsible for Felicity’s sore gut.

“Whoa! Calm down. No one is responsible for my tummy troubles. I over ate some chili that was allegedly spicy a few days ago. My gut is not sore, it just feels a bit weird still.” Felicity takes a step back and peers at Laurel to get a good look at her face, which displays a quiet seething rage.

“If someone did give me a sore tummy, it would not cross your mind to kill them…right Laurel?” Felicity asks carefully giving Laurel a look to warn her that there was only one right answer to this question.

“No killing anyone unless you specifically ask me to in a polite way,” Laurel responds suddenly looking like she’d just jolted from some sort of trance. “No matter how angry I am.” 

“We are going to work on that but the correct sentiment is there!” Felicity nods encouragingly at the other woman, who beams back at her a pleased smile. Laurel was so…odd. And murderous. But she was trying and Felicity had to give her credit for that. She’d come over especially on her lunch break because Felicity asked her to as a favour. They had used Laurel’s sonic cry to see if sound waves could damage or crack Felicity’s security system.

“Thanks for dropping by Laurel. I managed to collect some extra data that will be very helpful. Do you have time to catch a bite? I’ll buy you lunch?” Felicity offers.

It was only a year ago that this woman tried to kill her but then a year ago she also thought she had friends. Now they were all gone and only Laurel, strange but oddly accommodating Laurel remained. Felicity had no idea how to define their relationship but felt that she had to at least be polite to the woman who did not treat her badly at all. 

“I think you should go to the doctor,” Laurel answers giving Felicity a vaguely cross look. They really needed to work on Laurel’s emotional regulation.

“I can still eat. I’m still hungry! I’ve just got this…I don’t know, weird sensation down here.” Felicity presses in the spot that’s not exactly hurting or cramping but tingling somehow. Oliver’s chili was still potent days later it seems.

“You get yourself to a doctor after lunch or I’ll…” Laurel is about to threaten Felicity but realizes threatening the woman she was worried about was a pointless and rather counter intuitive move.

“Come on stop threatening me. In fact try not to threaten me in general. It’s not nice. Let’s go.” Felicity grabs her jacket and ushers Laurel out the door.

*** 

“You’re best friends who lunch now?” Oliver materializes out of seemingly nowhere on the footpath, causing Felicity to stumble forward. Fortunately he catches her easily and pulls her into his chest for a hug before she can protest.

Laurel Lance, the evil version, was one of the many points of contention between them and one that Felicity refused to back down on. Over the course of the last few weeks Oliver had begun to realize the depth of betrayal Felicity felt from their supposed friends, from Oliver himself. This left her clinging onto Laurel whether out of some misguided fondness or as a big _up yours_ gesture to everyone else (maybe both) Oliver did not know.

Oliver knew he had to tread carefully when the subject of Laurel came up but finding the woman in his home, invited over by Felicity was too much. He’d gone home to surprise Felicity and take her out to lunch when he discovered his wife heading out, all smiles, looking completely at ease with evil Laurel. He followed them and observed them over lunch.

“You followed me?” Felicity asks indignantly. “Since when do you check up on me to see whose company I keep?”

“I just want you to be safe. She tried to kill you, kill all of us last year. So I kept an eye on you during your lunch. I didn’t say you couldn’t have lunch with her.”

Oliver’s using his soft, pleading Felicity voice with her because he’s well aware he hasn’t got many options left. Felicity was all prickles these days whenever he tried to act high handed with her. She’d never taken it well but after surviving by herself for seven months, he could tell his wife resented his protectiveness. She would never say it out loud or admit it even to herself but she resented it. She resented his promises, his concern, and his care.

Felicity might not have run and physically left him this time but she’d built a nice sturdy wall for herself again. A part of him dies when he faces the reality that Felicity would rather keep her options with people like Laurel open than to fully trust him again.

“She’s not going to kill me. She’s very helpful. More helpful than anyone else we know,” Felicity answers shortly however she doesn’t pull away from his hug and stays nestled in his arms.

“I’ll walk you home?” Oliver offers, eager to change the subject, knowing that pushing Felicity right at this moment was a completely fruitless task that would likely blow up in his face.

“I was planning to pop by and see Dr. Shwartz actually. Just for peace of mind since that chili’s upset my tummy for quite a few days now.” 

Oliver wonders resentfully if her friend Laurel had talked her into this but brushes the thought away as quickly as it enters his head. What did it matter who got Felicity to do what? She agreed to go see a doctor and that was the most important thing.

*** 

“Here, drink this. Or don’t drink it. I just made it in case you needed something to sip on. I’ll get you some decaffeinated tea tomorrow. Do you want anything else? Juice? Actually we don’t have any juice and I don’t want to leave you but I could call Barry to get you some juice and some decaffeinated tea.” Oliver flitters around so fast, it’s making her head spin. Quietly Felicity grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls him to a halt.

“Hot chocolate is fine,” she assures him and pulls him down beside her. Oliver hands her the cup and Felicity takes a sip, still remaining silent. It was pure coincidence but it seems like they’d wrongly blamed the chili for her tummy woes.

The tingling sensation in the lower part of her tummy was her uterus growing Dr Schwartz had calmly informed her after showing Felicity her test results. Good old Dr Schwartz with her thoroughness had ordered a pregnancy test. Just in case.

“I guess we should have been more careful,” Felicity smiles weakly at him. 

Oliver feels like he’s been punched in the gut but steels himself and smiles a watery smile at her. “I know it’s not what you want right now but I love you so much and I want this baby more than anything in the world.” 

“Oliver I love you and I know we’ll figure this out somehow but…” her voice trails off. She wasn’t sure what to say really. She’d come out of the last seven months with a steely focus and goals but those goals did not include a surprise baby. Felicity reaches down and rubs her tummy; there was no going back. She’d just amend her goals; tweak them to include this little person growing inside her. 

“You know what, don’t worry. I survived my father abandoning us, survived Cooper, survived Diaz. I will make sure this baby always has someone to rely on even if he or she wasn’t planned. I will never abandon him or her.”

Felicity wipes away a tear quickly and Oliver feels like he’s been stabbed in the heart. They had just found out they were having a baby and his wife was sitting here, cutting a solitary figure, vowing to herself all the ways she’d be here for this baby as if he wasn’t a factor in their lives at all. As if all and any promises he made to protect their family would mean naught. 

“I’m going to be here for you and the baby Felicity. I know you don’t believe it, don’t want to believe it but I will be here and I will never leave again.” His tone is pleading and he knows he can plead all he wants, he knows Felicity won’t argue with him. She might smile and nod and be sitting next to him but she was a million miles away planning ways to protect this baby. Ways that didn’t rely on him staying. 

“I want to believe you,” Felicity whispers, tears brimming and Oliver feels shattered at the utter misery he’s caused this woman whom he loves and who loves him more than life itself. “I want to believe you,” she whispers again. 

“I know you do Felicity. I know you want to,” he manages to choke out, pulling her onto his lap. She buries her head into his chest and sobs silently. “But you don’t have to try so hard. Maybe in twenty years time when I’m still here, still clinging onto you, you’ll trust me again.”

He tucks a lock of damp hair behind her ear and kisses her head before resting his chin on it and closing his eyes. “And even if you still don’t that’s okay too. As long as you’re willing to stay in my life that’s enough.”


End file.
